


An Aberration of Bedlam

by JamesJenkins9



Category: The Last Time I Saw Richard (2014)
Genre: Adolescent Sexuality, Alternate Ending, Australia, Basketball, Coming of Age, Consensual Underage Sex, Dark Comedy, Demons, Drawing, Dream Sequence, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fear, Gay, Gay Male Character, Gay Sex, Ghosts, Gothic, High School, Homoeroticism, Introvert, LGBTQ Character, M/M, Medication, Mental Health Issues, Mental Institutions, Nightmares, Pain, Psychological Horror, Psychological Torture, Psychologists & Psychiatrists, Puzzles, Roommate-Roommate Relationship, Self-Harm, Short, Silence, Sketches, Smut, Supernatural Elements, Suspense, Teen Romance, Teenagers, Therapy, Wet Dream, new roommate
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-03
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 07:48:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27847170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JamesJenkins9/pseuds/JamesJenkins9
Summary: In 1995, Jonah's proud to be the loner at the teen mental health clinic. But when a new patient, Richard, is admitted and the boys are forced to share a room, Jonah finds himself forming an unusual connection despite himself. As their developing friendship grows into something deeper, will their bond be strong enough to protect them from the dark malevolent beings that hide in the night shadows?
Relationships: Jonah/Richard
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I am a huge fan of the short film. Have not seen the feature film "The Boys in the Trees" but plan too. Ship Jonah and Richard highly! Will be following the course of the film with some plot lines and changes of my own. Hope you enjoy my version of the story. Your comments and constructive criticism are very much appreciated. The film is property of Nicholas Verso and Paul Welsh.

Richard was in his room sitting on his bed, dressed in white joggers and a black hoodie, quietly reading a book to distract him self. he was in his _good personality_ so he wasn’t in a bad mood. Not that anyone could really notice anyway. He put the book mark in his book then set it down on the table beside his bed. Softly ran his hand through his semi-long dark hair and bit his lip slightly before getting up and paused before walking to the door, opening it quietly he peeked his head out and looked both ways down the hallway before stepping out and shutting the door in front of him.

_Fucking cowards_! Jonah thought. He walked back to his room after another pointless session with the hospital psychiatrist. His question as to why he didn't socialize with the others provoked only a scoff.

"I don't waste my time with victims," he grinned in response. When asked if he really believed that, Wade nodded "Yeah." Beliefs? What sort of church-going bubbly dumbass poser believes in the crap Disney-based shit parents would have kids think is actually true? The blue-eyed crude 15-year-old bit his tongue as he slipped into the Boys Room, claiming an empty stall.

"They should quit whining about their demons..." he'd told the head shrink. Reaching under the heel of his left sneaker, pulling a razor out. Rolling up his right sleeve, the horizontal healing cuts of past secret sessions were still visible.

"And do something about it..." the touch of the blade to his skin even for a minute period alleviated the gale of shit that constantly seemed to pursue him while that one question from the shrink: "Well what are you gonna do about yours?" repeated itself. Wade blocked it out welcoming the digging tear into his arm as crimson blood appeared. The pleasure he never failed to come back to.

* * *

The weather outside was more lifeless and boring than the atmosphere on the inside. Jonah decided to go to the Rec room after his private bloodletting ritual to satisfy another kick of his while munching on a small tub of chips he swiped from the kitchen. His sights quickly set on a pale dark long-haired girl wearing a gray tee and blue joggers looking at a TV program disinterested. Prime target to push some buttons.

"Hey Polly, want cracker?" he asked sitting next to the obviously irritated girl, holding out the container wryly at her. "Oh wait, you need to lay off the carbs" he sneeringly replied.

"You're such a fuck stick," the girl said in disgust as she got out of the chair and stormed out. Wade jumped into his _throne_ delighted. "Second on the lips, forever on the hips" he mocked.

_She's a bloody skank anyway. Word is she's blown half of the blokes in this hole_ Jonah thought briefly on the rumor.

Noticing two other boys nearby looking at him before averting their gaze without a word. "Fucking cowards." Jonah said turning his attention back to the TV. 

_Nobody worth a shit, everybody's a pussy who don't fight back_. The disdainful seed in Jonah's head continued laying its roots as he had the urge to set the damn hospital aflame and revel in watching it burn. Nobody in the Looney Bin understood or even bothered to figure him out much less spend more than a minute next to him, thinking he'd slit their throat before they knew it. It had become a constant presence with him, it almost made Jonah want to run from himself. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Animosity stirs between Richard and Jonah, but also something else between them will eventually develop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you're enjoying the story so far. Let me know what you think.

Five minutes ago Richard had walked down the hallway rather _content_ for some reason. He would star but didn't smiled and never said a word to anyone he saw on his first view around the place where he was sent to get _help_. On the way back to his room, he walked past the rec room still keeping an ominous stare on his face and looked around the room, he spotted one of the more boisterous patients and for some reason almost walked over to him, some push to wanting to sit in front of the TV and beginning a conversation with the brute was taking hits at him. Shrugging it off, Richard continued back to his room. 

Jonah noticed the new kid standing near his bed unpacking a bag and rolled his eyes, the sound of muffled Heavy Metal music blared from his Ipod. But now even that didn't appear to satisfy him with this _stranger_ coming in and making the moment potentially interesting. Earlier he'd gotten fed up with the somewhat social air that came into the rec room, letting out a motorboat Jonah dropped the remote and stormed out back to his room. Hopefully the new roommate he was supposed to get wouldn't be a disgustingly irritating. His eyes scrutinizing the boy in the blue-white striped shirt like a Monitor Lizard staring at its quarry. 

Richard ignored him completely and focused only on unpacking, his music the only refuge he had to avoid talking to anybody. Most would say he was pretty good at ignoring people but it’s not like he meant to or anything, well guess it depends on what _Richard_ one was talking to. After a while he would have to go over to the nurse's office and get one of his two medications, which he would pretend to swallow but really just spit them out when she wasn’t looking. Often he would pop it into his mouth and then grab the second pill and did the same. Richard continued to unpack his duffle bag quickly becoming aware of the second presence in the room and going about his business. He didn't even dare to meet his roommates gaze, he always seemed to garner nasty and often more fearful glances from people he crossed. Those he could do less with.

"Guess I'm getting a new roommate" Jonah replied in a monotone voice as he removed his brown robe briefly regarding the new kid's presence. He noticed what looked like headphones around his neck. "Hey what are you listening to?" he asked gesturing at his ears waiting for a reply.

Shrugging his shoulders slightly, Richard still didn't make one peep. _Guess it depends what type of music your interested into_ he thought as he got himself settled. _It’s just a mixture of peep, Destroy Boys, Nirvana and more of course but I don’t wanna bore you...like he'd give a shit anyway_ , Richard nearly laughed a little as he opened one of his drawers and stuffed a bottle of medication into a bag with a bunch of other ones but making sure it wasn’t noticeable and putting the bag back into the drawer.

Guess he's not a dork at least... Jonah thought as he walked over to his roommate's side with a hand stretched out. "I'm Jonah. You're Richard, right?" The introduction not going as planned as the strange kid didn't seem to know he was there. Jonah even whistled to grab his attention but to no avail. His eyes suddenly catching sight of a red cover book on Richard's bed with some sort of sketch in it.

"Eh, you draw?" Jonah asked upon seeing it and Richard quickly closed the book.

The question only earning a glare from Richard, easily getting triggered and switching but it was never noticeable, he quickly put the book in the drawer. _I guess just don’t_ _fucking touch my stuff_ , he shut the drawer and stuffed his hands into his pocket.

Jonah grinned in reply. He rarely had anyone else talk back to him and getting under the new kid's skin was already starting to give Jonah a new charge of pleasure he didn't expect. Whatever this Richard bloke was hiding he'd have to find out sooner or later. "This is gonna be fun," he said walking out of the room to let Richard finish packing. Sooner or later he'd be prying secrets out of this stoic eerie guy, the only thing that seemed worth Jonah's time more than _fighting_ his illness: discovering others secrets.

Richard rolled his eyes already hating his new roommate. He put the book under some clothes beside the bags of meds and shut his drawer. The last thing he didn’t need was this kid seeing old suicide letters, drawings, some fucked up dumb poems and dismal fantasies. This book is basically where he would write everything, but not everything. Few bothered to notice he was smart, smarter then he looked and wasn’t about to write what was actually happening in his head on a piece of paper that could be discovered at any time or place. Plus he couldn’t really care if people read his old suicide letters and innermost thoughts, but still wanted to keep it to him self. Richard finished unpacking a six minutes later and laid down on his bed, still absorbed within the depths of his safe realm.

To find his own release, Jonah decided to go out to the basketball court to lose himself in the charging freedom of moving about the place all to himself and practicing his free throws in the process. At least he wouldn't have to be around pussies, freaks and idiots for a spell.

"I'm gettin' a three-pointer" he said to himself cheering at his own triumph. Dribbling the ball around imagining the crowd going mad with euphoria. "No. He dribbles...he fakes...Jordan!" Jonah takes the shot and misses but goes again. Second round he scores. "Michael Jordan!" he shouts out "Yeah!" laughing almost hysterically while no other soul's watching.

All except for his new roommate, gazing out of the window overlooking the courtyard. As Jonah wiped his hair free of sweat, he couldn't make sense of that unfathomable almost lonely expression on Richard's face. Almost like looking at an adorable puppy wanting to be adopted, only its face was more noxious than cute. Jonah threw the ball at the gate, wanting to get some sort of reaction from the guy, even a flip off. Still Richard yielded nothing and it only pissed Jonah off more. At least a simper he would've taken. 

_This is gonna be tougher than I thought_ Jonah figured before walking back inside. 

Richard returned to the room and flung himself on his mattress, shutting his eyes tightly feeling him self slip or switch whatever you want to call it. It wasn't like Richard could control it and it really doesn’t help when he refuses to take his medication for it. The _slipping_ happened more then usual now, probably 3 or 4 times a day he’d slip into a different personality. Even though he didn’t like it, Richard didn’t even know who he was at this point but he dealt with it. Shoving his face into the pillow trying to block out any light that shown into the room.

* * *

It was 9:13 PM as the institute locked down for the night, the silence and stark blackness really made for the nerve-shocking horror flick setting. Jonah laid in bed, his sleep disturbed by the speedy, somewhat scratchy and wild rock music Richard was listening to as he sketched away not so much as taking a breath with the table-side lamp on, to Jonah's annoyance.

"Um...can we turn off the light?" he muttered somewhat yet Richard didn't seem to hear him. Jonah turned off the lamp and turned over thinking his new _roommate_ got the message.

Richard looked up at him from his half finished sketch. He turned the music down a and stayed quiet for a moment as the room was filled with the sound of rain from outside and the Smiths playing now some what quietly in the background.

“Can you turn that back on?” a hint of annoyance and anger in his voice. Richard wasn’t himself as he doesn’t take his meds so he was one of the multiple personality’s the boy had and this one wasn’t... nice. The fact Jonah was also distracting him from putting his vision to paper got underneath his skin more. 

The lamp light turned on just as Jonah had turned over, thinking he'd get some rest. Now this new kid was really starting to irritate him. Richard kept on sketching without sense or a care of the world around him. Never one to be shown up, Jonah turned the light off again-only for Richard to turn it back on. It was on! He flipped the lamp over the table, the cord popping from the outlet, the room went black again.

"Now its dark." Jonah said finally able to lay down, not caring how his roommate felt about it. _Just the way I like it_. _At least he's no fucking pussy_.

Richard sat silently as if absorbing the darkness before he huffed and shut his sketch book. _Fuck you_! he got up and put his book away and laid on the bed. Quickly grabbing the blanket and putting it over him, looking around knowing it’ll take him a while to fall asleep...if he'd even be alive to see the next morning.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jonah's taunting interest in Richard increases, but will it be requited?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is one of my favorite scenes from the film. Hope I did it justice and that you enjoy it. Let me know what you think!

The dream came to Jonah again, more intense than the night before. The shriveled expanse of naked trees, branches stretched up to the unbearably black sky. Voices merged together in a symphony feeding on Jonah's insecurities. It was almost 3 AM when Jonah was startled from his sleep by an almost _unnatural_ nasal sort of breathing. Turning over to look at Richard who was asleep with one arm across his stomach and the other seemingly holding _something_ as the fingers slightly twitched. The breathing continued, much to Jonah's confusion and piqued fear. An almost black looking stain appeared on Richard's fingers. Tearing his face away from the scene, Jonah cast the bed sheet over his head and shut his eyes. _It had to be a trippy freaky dream_ he concluded. This new kid was trying to screw with him. Jonah tried to keep the _sane_ explanation alive as he sought to fall asleep again, while he felt scared out to do so.

* * *

Richard was definitely the one to sleep in, especially in the mornings. He was not one to nap at all and just wouldn’t do it. He hated them. The nurses gave up on trying to put him on a sleep schedule and just let him sleep in. he usually woke up around 12 and that’s exactly what he did on that morning. Richard woke up at 12:09, Thursday, October 1st. Often times he rolled over and groaned softly, slowly opening his green eyes and bringing a hand up to rub his face. It took him about a minute to adjust to his surroundings and slowly sit up. Jonah was nowhere in sight.

Jonah surprisingly woke up early around 9 AM even after the freaky scene he saw last night. Whether Richard had forgotten or forgiven what happened last night, he didn't give to shits as he made his way to the cafeteria for breakfast and then the rec room. Unfortunately there weren't many people to taunt. Jonah chose the next best option and sat in front of the TV to pass the time until anything remotely interesting would happen. Part of him couldn't help but wonder where his new roommate was or what he was doing now.

Back in the bedroom, Richard looked over at the empty bed besides him and smiled a bit liking the fact he was alone. Quietly he got up and walked into the bathroom, undressing and getting in the shower. After he was done he got out and dried off, he got dressed in his usual black joggers that he had so many pairs of, without the draw string of course as he wasn’t trusted with it, same with the black hoodie he put on. Adding on a pair of socks and then brushed his teeth, after he was finished getting ready he walked out of the bathroom and back into the room. Adamantly avoiding the nurses knowing they would make him eat something with he didn’t feel like doing at all. Richard sat down again on his bed and grabbed his sketchbook and continued the sketch from the night before. He woke up in the negative/insecure/shy personality he has. Now he only switched between 3 as that’s how many he has due to his disorder. Richard's _disorder_ developed when he was around 13. One minute he was confident and stood up for him self, next he was just a brat which made many think he was a psycho by the way he acted and the next he was shy and depressive. Unpredictably he switched through these rapidly when he was younger but it’s calmed down now. The switches since rapidly now when he’s having a breakdown which doesn’t usually happen often.

Five minutes of spending time in the dining room only bored Jonah more than he dreaded. Storming out, he figured he could have the main chair in the rec room alone and _rule_ _the roost_ (if somebody else wasn't already there). As he arrived back and looked into the room, he could see the _weirdo_ in his chair, eyes centered straight at the TV but didn't appear to be watching the show. A grin starting to rise as he entered and came to sit on his own bed.

"You sleep well?" he asked, intrigued if he could get a response out of him or if Richard would even hit back. The last type of person he'd want to room with was a pussy. "You know, that mattress can get a little lumpy." Jonah knew this nut was going to crack one way or another. "Sometimes I just lie there, tossing and turning. Just "Ah!" " Jonah gestured with one hand before nibbling at his nails. Richard changed the channel on the remote, not even so much as giving him a huff.

"It didn't bother you I guess. No nocturnal emissions." His tone became more dangerously taunting bordering on seductive. Jonah leaned over without warning on Richard's right and grabbed his idle arm. "I could be bounded in a nutshell and cut myself, looking off infinite space. Worried not that I have bad _dreams_..." his tone on that last word even more of a skin-crawler as Richard turned to look at the grinning boy. Jonah's warm breath lingered on his ear perturbingly. 

Richard intended to ignore the boy before he sat beside him getting in his personal space. That’s where he lost it. He gripped onto the remote hard and dropped it on the floor at his feet, before looking well glaring at Jonah. Those torpid eyes hissing “I'll give you 5 seconds to fuck off “ he looked quietly at Jonah but with enough force for him to let sink in.

Jonah's smirk didn't fall as he slid back into his throne, embracing his _triumph_. Looks like the new kid had some balls in him after all. Maybe he'd be able to worm more out of him in time. Richard stormed out of the rec room-feeling like a cornered goat at a wolf's mercy petrified him more than he dared to unveil. Still, he watched Jonah as he left and slowly unclenched his fists. Richard already hated this kid. Why was this dumb ass even here and sharing a room with him?

Barely outside the entrance, Richard turned to look at Jonah. _Why are you even here_? he thought quietly again but somewhat loud enough for the perversely thuggish bully to hear.

 _Wouldn't you like to know_... Jonah's gaze honed in even deeper on his roommate, more than thrilled he was working into this somewhat emo enigma others so far steered far away from. He wanted to know what Richard kept locked under his aloof exterior, even if his feelings weren't genuine.

Richard switched quickly but unnoticeable. He pursed his lips and turned to face Jonah again. _Yeah, actually I would_... he crossed one arm over the other. _What did the big bad_ _twat do to get in a loony bin_? he stared Jonah down deeply, almost daring him to say something before finally turning the corner out of sight.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jonah and Richard's paths cross more along with their demons.

Jonah didn't respond but continued to flash the smirk he knew got under people's skin while under the exterior wanted to curse Richard into the floor. A beat passed with no further words shared. Turning slowly feigning disinterest, Jonah left the rec room as the thrill grown cold. He had another _session_ with his therapist soon but knew there would be plenty of time to pick up their _match_ later. Jonah bit his bottom lip on the thought of it.

"What happens in these dreams?" The psychiatrist asked Jonah evermore the stalwart condescending in tone and enigmatic in answering.

"I'm alone," Jonah answered.

"Where?"

"I'm looking for somebody." The last word leaving an unusual aftertaste in his throat. "If I find them I'll be safe."

"Safe from whom?" The doctor asked more piqued like an intrigued news reporter.

"They want to see if I'll crack." Jonah replied, his brain more in a fog than in the bland sun-lit office he sat in. A black shadow glided swiftly behind him.

"Who are these people?"

"They're in the trees. I can't see." Jonah's voice grew hoarse. 

"Why can't you see them?" The doctor asked tapping his pen on the notepad in hand. "Jonah?" He asked yet the boy wasn't there. He was _alone_ in the death-ridden misty rolling blackness that was his _reality_. "Jonah?" He asked again.

He was without eyes, a body with no windows looking out, head turned to a hellish sky as he roared. The session ended 2 minutes later. Now he needed to relieve the pain and rushed to the Men's room. Slipping the razor out from beneath his shoe, he starved-yearned for the relief to sever the nightmares from his head. To bleed them dry with his own masochist painted visions. 

* * *

Richard laid on his bed and stared up at the ceiling as thousands of thoughts ran through his mind. The boy was what one generally would say _sad_ , he was usually sad everyday but today it just hit different. He didn’t know why he was sad or why he thinks about the things he does. he laid there for a while just softly clenching and unclenching his fists while having a war in his head.

Slipping the razor out from beneath his shoe, he starved-yearned for the relief to sever the nightmares from his head. To bleed them dry with his own masochist painted visions. Jonah needed the scratching cut of the sharp edge to pierce his flesh.

To his relief, Richard finally fell asleep which was quiet peaceful for him at first until he had another nightmare. The stoic boy shook awake and got up all sweaty and panicking a bit. he walked into the bathroom and got in the shower. He let the water run down his face as he calmed down. Richard usually didn’t get nightmares but when he did it wasn’t fun at all.

The sudden opening of the stall door went unnoticed to Jonah as he had just started to _purge_ his demons for today. The annoyance of an intruder the last thing he fucking needed. A beat passed and no footsteps sounded, toilets or faucets nor did he see anyone else's shadow glide by from under the door. He just wanted peace, was that too much to ask?

Richard stayed in his shower stall for a good 10 minutes and then got out and got dressed. He walked out, earphones on and booming, pressing open another stall door not realizing someone was in there. His eyes widened with shock a bit, seeming to ask _what the fuck are you doing_? he furrowed his eyebrows a little at Jonah knowing exactly what’s he’s doing but wanting some sort of explanation.

"Get the fuck out!" Jonah shouted pushing Richard away. He didn't want anybody to see and likely snitch to the hospital staff on his grizzly pastime. Closing the stall door, Jonah grabbed for a piece of toilet paper to stop the bleeding. A fearful humiliation instantly pervaded his person.

Richard huffed a little and crossed his arms waiting outside the stall door. “I didn't know you were there. I won’t tell.. if that’s what you're so worried about.”

After that he stayed quiet and learned against the wall, waiting for the boy to come out. For some reason Richard was slightly concerned for Jonah but didn’t really know why.

"Just piss off why don't you?" Jonah spat the question as his disgrace made him increasingly more _diminished_. Jonah stormed out of the stall past Richard who had smiled on seeing he wasn't so _invincible_ after all, not so much as sparing him a slight glance. Veins afire as he marched back to their room. Sitting on his bed, brain a whirlpool of conflicting thoughts. Frantically he began looking through the bedside dresser drawers. This Richard kid really was creeping down to the crevices Jonah often kept blocked. He saw a few yellow pills in measuring cups before coming upon the red sketchbook he often saw Richard hypnotically invested in. Flipping through to the second page, a pathway flanked by dead trees overshadowed by the moon, his very nightmare there in charcoal and lead! The following pages containing even more freaky drawn shit which Jonah wasn't able to keep from looking at, as if they demanded him to view each one. He turned his head up to find Richard looking at him whilst drying his hair with a towel.

Richard watched him with a blank face not showing any signs of emotion, something he was quite good at. He stood a foot across from Jonah a little bit not stopping him from looking at the book. Richard assumed he saw most of it already and didn’t really have any reason to stop him now. The smug boy wasn’t ashamed or embarrassed of what he drew but he liked to have his privacy and keep things secret, secrets were Richard's thing. He had many and knew lots, more then people would expect or want him to know. Deep down Richard knew that if it was anyone else in Jonah's position he would probably of went full attack mode but he was different and didn’t feel a need to, this was something that he refused to think about any further. Just because Richard wasn’t that mad that Jonah went _snooping_ through his stuff doesn’t mean he wasn’t concerned that the boy would snitch. _Looking for something or just exploring_? he kept the same blank expression not showing any signs of anger.

"These pictures... Richard," any reply Jonah would've made cut short when the formerly speechless boy lunged forward at him. Pushing Jonah up against the wall, his red-black-white plaid shirt falling to the floor as a hand encircled tightly round his throat. Vainly Jonah tried to break Richard's hold on him, but the smacks and grabs he made to the _weirdo's_ face and arm were useless. His face merciless as Jonah strove to breathe and get free of Richard's grasp. In a beat, Jonah stopped struggling and just looked at Richard directly. Whether out of pity, humility or a moment of sanity, Richard let Jonah go and he fell to the floor coughing. Richard left the room before he even had the strength to catch the spooky _creep's_ eyes again.

 _Shit, that bloke's got one helluva grip_... Jonah thought unable to help grinning even though being near Death's door.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Toby and Richard's friendship deepens, however unbeknownst to them, more sinister forces have their eyes watching them.

Richard went out to the main area where everyone sat and sat down until he calmed down, his face still the blank expressionless one he had yet still more shaken than usual.

The very next day, blood high as the soaring afternoon temperature, Jonah was on the court again, alone playing a one man game. "The scores are tied. The bulls need this." Missing his shot, he turned to retrieve the bouncing ball only to find Richard behind him, casually having appeared there as if out of nowhere.

Nonchalantly Richard had the ball in his hands. " Looking for this?" he asked holding out the ball in front of him, his expression still the unaverred emotionless one many had known him for. Jonah more startled to finally know how his voice sounded.

A beat passed before Richard throws the ball back at a stunned Jonah. He scoffs before dribbling it back up the court, Richard coming alongside him and stealing the ball.

"Oi," Jonah said getting Richard's attention. He barely took a breath when the once mute kid made a break for the hoop. He finally started talking and turned out wasn't bad a B-ball player. Jonah could feel a totally different smile show on his face now.

Richard ran towards the hoop, dribbling the ball on the way there and once he got there, he jumped up and easily slam dunked the ball! Arms raised in victory.

* * *

It was dusk as quietness came over the hospital. Jonah and Richard sat on the floor of their room with only a flashlight illuminating through the darkness, playing a game with matchsticks Jonah secretly kept in the drawer by his bed. By now Richard was smiling, a sight he hadn't expected from the near Emo looking kid. How he couldn't be exhausted still baffled the more daring of the duo.

"You're going to have to go to sleep sometime you know?" he asked while his insides brimmed with a feeling he almost didn't think he could call _Happiness_. "Is that why you don't take your meds?"

Richard looked at Jonah with a soft chuckle. "Why do you cut yourself?" he returned in kind, another ugly truth parrying a skin-crawling _habit_. "I'll sleep when I feel like it," he said as they continued to play the game while he hummed softly. 

The almost otherworldly yet melodious tone of Richard's voice struck Jonah and his inquisitively cynical smirk seemed to ask the latter why he put himself through such terrible physical pain. Richard continued to hum and after awhile he almost stood up, he softly stretched his arms as his shirt slightly rose up.

"You know you're alive when the wind stings," Jonah answered as he lifted his head looking Richard in the face. The smirk on his face quickly falling as his attention turned back to the red notebook which Richard so privately kept away from others eyes, save Jonah. He calmly picked it up and turned to a set of pages. One showing a hooded, lonely depressed figure staring blankly. The other a closed fist with wrist slash marks.

Setting it in front of Richard, Jonah asked even if it was a _suicidal act_ "What are they?"

"Bad dreams... What do you think?" Richard said looking down at the picture of the wrist with the slashes on it and that made Jonah subconsciously turn his arms over as if he was hiding something. He almost climbed into his bed with the need to lay there, facing away from Richard as he let out a sigh.

The skittish unease pervading his person increased as Jonah told Richard "Go to sleep," and even snatched away a half empty bottle of liquor sitting on the bedside table Richard reached out for. He didn't want to argue with Richard, just to not think about how he seemed to have some _Second Sight_ into his own head. At the same time he wanted a look into what made Richard so restless at night, so withdrawn in a chilling plain juxtaposed to his own.

"Why?" Richard asked not seeing what the hell Jonah's fervent aggressive turn was provoked by.

Richard then leaned on his butt looking up at Jonah. "Do you think we'll ever get out of here?" he asks as he reached for his notebook on the floor, grabbed it and closed it. Setting it in the drawer in his desk on his side of the room.

"Is anybody really sane?" Jonah asked also turned to watch Richard. A beat passed before he says near demandingly "I want to see THEM-the _bad dreams_ you have..." Whatever was driving them closer together, Jonah couldn't shake the urge to strike back at what was hurting Richard, if not himself and be able to free themselves from **IT**.

"It doesn't work like that," Richard replied. His tone and face as bleakly charming as it was cautious, with a challenging tinge. 

"I understand your trying to help me...Jonah... but some things are better off not talked about," he said still keeping undimmed eyes on the eager boy who had no clue what he was demanding to confront.

"Well then you've got nothing to worry about," Jonah replied before it was really lights out.

Three hours later, Jonah couldn't rest. His mind focused on an issue of **Enigma** porno he kept just for these sort of nights. Richard laying asleep, more like a tomb effigy, yet exhaustion finally came upon him. Dropping the flashlight he'd been holding, Jonah shifted into _emptiness_. Broken somewhat choking like whispers stirred him from his slumber. A hooded eerie figure-much like what Richard sketched-was crawling up the bed in a swift jerking motion. Clearing his throat as the raspy breathing grew louder. Jonah vainly tried to turn on the flashlight as the voices swirled around him over the walls. Dashing out of bed, pulling the curtains over, the moonlight now revealing the hunched over blood-curdling dark _presence_. A nearly decayed face with green eyes locked upon Jonah's-drinking in the fear plastered on his own face. Reaching for the basketball, Jonah hurled it at the _monster_.

"Get away!" he shouted while hurling it. The figure evaporated into black smoke, the ball hitting nothing but the wall on Richard's side of the room. The wall now taking on an icy appearance, the figure scaling it as though it were fucking Spider-Man. Reverting to its smoky formlessness, the _ghost_ flowed to the upper right corner of the ceiling and vanished. Quietness came over their room again. Richard's shirt unbuttoned, his chest bare. Jonah started to button the blue shirt again and covered Richard up in his blanket. Moving back to his bed, Jonah could only hear "WTF!" repeatedly sound in his brain. He rushed to the restroom to 'wake up' and also get the gross taste out of his mouth, the freaky moment having nearly made him puke.

Richard was startled awake when Jonah started screaming, he got up out of bed quickly looking around the room. He groaned softly and walked over to the bathroom seeing Jonah there, more than worse for ware. 

Jonah's brushing his teeth before he lifts his head up to see Richard at the other sink, his own face downcast, holding in a vile secret he would rather forever be mute than talk about.

"I saw them," Jonah said while his brain objected to him saying so. Richard's face appeared cold but also to get what Jonah meant. Unmoving, he only looked at Richard not judging him for how crazy it sounded, if not to say he'd have his back no matter the terrors to come.

"Now you know what I have to deal with on a daily basis." He said splashing some ice cold water onto his face. "I see that **thing** everywhere I go," Richard curtly replied while pulling his gray t-shirt completely off now, his chest covered in scars.

The sight of the scars spreading a swathe over Richard's skin was enough to really make Jonah sick. He wanted to reach out towards him-hands barely raised up but couldn't take one step. Biting his lower lip barely able to meet his gaze, Jonah began to walk back to their room only to stop next to Richard and leaned in towards his ear.

"Get some sleep, like to shoot some hoops with you tomorrow," all he could daresay as his body clattered under the skin from commanding feelings he wanted to obey but wished would just stay damn quiet. Heading back to their room, Jonah got into bed and covered himself with his blanket, wishing to forget what he just saw now sounding like a joke to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The latest chapter in the story. I decided to give Richard a few more lines to make the conversation more intriguing, plus I love Cody Fern's voice. Will also include an original scene I could only wish was in the film or hinted at. Hope you enjoy it, be sure to leave reviews!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The "Bad Dreams" Richard house now become reality for Jonah. Will they both be consumed by them?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is where the story gets really tense and frightening. Pardon for this chapter being short, the next one will be more in depth. Enjoy and do leave reviews. Thanks!

Richard spent the rest of the night awake as he couldn't sleep and he sketched in his notebook quietly while Jonah slept.

Jonah woke up as sunlight filtered through the blanket, hitting his eyes. Blinking them open as he pushed himself up, the room becoming clear, he heard the soft scratching of Richard's pencil on paper. Catching his roommate's glance, Jonah offered a hint of a smile before getting up.

"Hey Morning...uh I'm gonna shower and hit the court in a few. Wanna come with?" he asked gliding a hand through his wavy behead.

Richard nodded as he let out a yawn and he stretched his legs while he continues to draw. He then got up setting his notebook down and he now stretches his whole body.

The shower only helped ease Jonah's nerves but so much. Breakfast quick and became an afterthought. Donning his cap and red **BULLS** jersey, he wasted no time running to the court, all while wondering if Richard would be there first.

Richard stretched and went to get dressed before running out to the court. Jonah decided to get a few free throws in before he saw Richard standing there watching if not admiring him. Catching the ball bouncing back towards him, Jonah cast it to Richard so he could start the round off. Richard caught the ball and began dribbling it before making a break towards the hoop.

He had to hand it to Richard, he really knew how to defend himself. Even when he knocked Jonah down, the latter wasn't as pissed as he often got over crap like that. Putting his cap back on, he found himself staring at Richard. A beat before a hand is offered out to him. Jonah accepts it without protest and is pulled up. He is still taken by the almost apologetic demeanor on Richard's face.

"Sorry," Richard said with a soft chuckle as he handed Jonah the ball.

Unable to find words, the very touch of Richard's skin on his own palm left Wade's insides feeling gelatinous. The urge to continue the game suddenly snuffed out like a candle. Dropping the ball onto the ground, he walked off. _Shit, what the fuck is with me?!? This bloke's weird but I **like** him... he's so **off** but I wanna know his secret_..." Jonah jostled in his head wanting to rip his hair out as he went back into the hospital. 

* * *

Richard looked at Jonah as he walked back inside and he followed being confused some. Later that afternoon Jonah found himself in the Rec room, the short-lived basketball game he was glad to have forgotten. The rare feeling only boosted when Richard approached the desk he was sitting at. Between them, a **Connect 4** board stood between them. Cocking his head to challenge him to a game, Jonah choose the red chips, pushing the yellow ones in front of Richard. Quirking an eyebrow while fingering one of them, waiting for his roommates answer. Richard looked down at the chips and picked one up before inserting it into the middle slot on the board. Two minutes into the game and already the boys were neck to neck, anticipating the others move. The stares they shared barely keeping a lid on the contained fear, curiosity and anger just wanting to erupt. The voiceover from the TV adding to Jonah's mental earthquake.

"There's no way out. You told me to cover treatments." Before he knew it, the round was his and the chips collapsed down at the feet of the board. He grinned triumphantly at Richard who looked rather pissed.

_God damnit_... Richard thought, _how is he so good at this game_?

The voiceover from the TV tightening its pressure on Jonah's brain. "Surely you can give us some kind of prediction, I mean are we talking about days, or weeks, or months. Years?"

_Shit, sounds like my dip-fuck of a shrink_! Jonah sighed to himself almost wanting to hit his own forehead. 

* * *

The dead trees flanking him as he stands in the barren _dead_ field again. Fog to his back barely obscuring the red hoodie he's wearing. Something is behind him, watching, almost suspecting he'd be there. He hollers to the darkened sky, eye sockets bare. Jonah is shocked out of sleep as he turns his head up. Quietly lying there before turning to look at Richard sleeping. Hands resting down towards his groin, no blanket covering him. His pale face contrasting with the navy PJs he wears. Jonah draws a lock of hair away from his face before turning to look at his alarm clock. It's 3:01 AM. _Shit_... he thought as he leaned looking over at his side of the room, the _peace_ of the room only invaded again as that suffering, appalling breathing rose in his ears. Jonah's face dispiritedly frozen as he sees at least three black hooded figures surrounding Richard. One leaning over him as Count-fucking-Dracula readied to feed upon his beautiful human victim. Jonah got out of bed, eyes meeting those of the zombie-liked demon, grabbing his razor. The demon wasn't going to allow a challenge and waved an arm, opening one of the healing cuts. The loud scratch lingering in Jonah's right arm as deep into his flesh. Falling down, he looked up to see the figures, two of them, moving along the left wall like spiders, both hovering in the upper corner leering at the boy. Looking back at the scratch, his brain near splitting, Jonah got in Richard's bed, covering their bodies with the blanket. Settling in still watching the ceiling as he draped an arm over Richard's shoulders only to find that of his roommate grasping his in security. The nightly intruders _merged_ into the ceiling, almost unwilling to go near the pair, should they get hurt next. Burying his face in Richard's hair, fitfully cursing any and everything for the sun to rise.


End file.
